Does Coating Your Florida Roof White Really Reduce Energy Costs?

Coating your Florida roof white can reduce energy costs. A white coating is energy efficient as well as money saving for you.

During the summer in Florida energy costs skyrocket due to heavy use of air conditioning. What can you do to reduce them? Coating your roof in a white coating is an excellent option.

How often have you left the house in the morning and cut back or turned off the air conditioning in order to save energy? The problem is that during the day your home is baking in the summer sun. You walk in after your commute home and walk into a stifling hot house. You crank up the air conditioner, making it work harder and blast through your efforts to save energy. There is a way to keep the house cool, save energy and protect the environment.

Using a white coating on your roof can help keep the house cool and save energy. The idea behind it is a centuries old principle. That principle is that objects that are white absorb less heat than objects that are dark. Studies have been done that show that homes with white roofs cut their air conditioning costs by 20% or more in hot, sunny weather. Depending on the covering, 45 percent of the sun’s rays were reflected.

What that means is lower energy consumption. Lower costs to the homeowner, less impact on the environment. But is a white roof more expensive? Not as much as you’d think. Pricing is only about 15% more than a darker colored roof. If white isn’t for you, most roofing companies that offer these kinds of roofs will also have lighter hued traditional colors, though the savings in energy costs are a bit smaller.

Some companies that provide traditional darker roofs call the idea blown out of proportion, and caution that in northern homes where the winter gets cold homes need to have heat absorption in the cold fall, winter and early spring months to keep heating costs lower. Given the rising energy costs, and the fact that southern states don’t have cold winters, giving it a try here in Florida can save your pocketbook and the environment.

Coating your Florida roof with a white coating is the way to go to reduce energy costs and be energy efficient as well!